Hope and Honey Cakes
by elitemassacre6
Summary: Clarke is the owner of Griff's; a bakery in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. Lexa is a customer. AKA: that bakery AU you totally didn't know you wanted.


It's just past mid day, two pm, according to the clock on the wall, and the shop is empty. Clarke has just cleaned the counters and the tables after the last customers left. Wednesday was their slowest of the week, and the lunch rush was over, true, but that didn't excuse Lincoln and Octavia's activities in the back room. Clarke rolled her eyes and turned her head to back towards the door.

"If you two could stop _fucking_ long enough to actually do your jobs, that'd be awesome!" She yelled, grumbling at the quiet moaning she could just barely here.

"Hello." A voice said. She jumped in surprise and turned back around to see the customer, pressing her palm to her chest.

"Um, HI. Sorry if you heard that. What can I get you?" She asked the gorgeous businesswoman in front of her. This was probably (definitely) the hottest woman who had ever walked into her shop. Large, penetrating, forest green eyes stared back at her, an eyebrow raised above one of them. She eyed the thick, lush, chocolate hair and full lips, biting into her own as her eyes traces over subtle cleavage and long, gorgeous legs. Shit.

"I need a box of treats for a meeting. Muffins, buns, or the like will suffice. Two dozen, please. Will you have enough to fill my order?" Her voice was silky, and Clarke wanted more of it and the rest of her. She nodded, crouching to grab boxes and a paper bag big enough to hold them.

"I can do that, yes. Assorted, right?" She asked, already picking up her tongues to reach for the lemon raspberry sticky buns in the case beside her.

"Yes. Though I've told my colleagues of you crunch cakes so I would like an entire box of those." Clarke frowned as she filled the order. Closing the first filled with the creme brulee custard cakes. She filled the other with a selection of their best deserts then stuffed them both in the bag and rung it all up, handing the bag over.

"You've been here before? I've never... I mean I think I would recognize you..." She fumbles out, handing over the receipt after the gorgeous woman has swiped her card.

"Why? Do you work often?" She asks, brows furrowed. Even that is adorable.

"Oh, well yeah. This is my place. I'm Clarke Griffin. It's nice to meet you..."

"Lexa. Lexa Woods. So you are the Griffin of Griff's? Very creative name." The woman jokes, her smile kind and eyes warm enough to soften the blow. Clarke huff a, crossing her arms.

"It says WIP next to the sign. The shop's name is exactly that. Could you come up with something better?" She asks as Lexa shakes her head. She looks down at her watch and frowns.

"I will let you know if I do. For now I have to go if I'm to make my meeting. Thank you for the sweets. It was nice to meet you Clarke." She reaches her hand out, and Clarke actually reaches her hand across to shake with her, frowning at the beautiful woman having to leave already.

"You too, Lexa. Have 'fun' at your meeting. If you come back with a name I'll make you a free cake!" She says as the woman walks through the door.

"I'll remember that, Griff." She snacks as she leaves, a sigh leaving Clarke's lungs. Lexa Woods.

"Who was that and why's she got you grinning like a dope?" Octavia asked, hair up in messy bun. Lincoln follows behind her, eyes far more curious. They both know how hard it has been for her to smile lately. At least smile honestly, with none of the acting being polite to the customers took.

"Lexa Woods. She's... She was... Did you see her? She was beautiful, right? And nice. She totally made fun of me about the shop name though." Lincoln's eyes widened and Octavia's jaw dropped open.

"And you didn't deck her?" Clarke shook her head.

"No. We talked about the work in progress status of the name and I offered to bake her a cake if she could figure out a better one. Have you two seen her before? She said she's been here." Lincoln shook his head, but Octavia nodded.

"I think she comes in after work. You're usually gone. You seem pretty into her, Clarke. You sure you're ready for that?" Octavia frowned and held her arms up, palms open to show that she only meant to help with her questions. Clarke walked into her hold, chuckling when Lincoln turned it into a group hug. It had taken her months to be comfortable with him being in her space, never mind touching her. But she trusted him.

"Maybe? I mean... I want to be. If she's interested. I mean it won't happen instantly obviously, if it does. This was my first time meeting her." She explained as they all pulled back, Lincoln keeping his arms wrapped around his wife.

"Clarke, maybe a good thing to do would be to explain your situation if you two start dating. Just to make sure she understands how you feel about being touched, snuck up on, and such. Better safe, right?" The muscular man explained. Clarke nodded with a shallow smile, handing them the brulee cake tray when a new group of customers walked in the door.

/°\

"So I have been asked to bring your card to all of my colleagues. They don't intend to ever bring donuts or bagels to meetings again." Clarke grinned at the voice. The shop had just opened. It was six am on a Sunday. She usually had a good hour before she had to worry about anyone wandering into the shop. But Lexa? Lexa she was glad to see.

"HI! I'm glad to hear it. And to see you of course. It sounds like you've increased my customer base. So whatever you'd like to have is on the house. Would you want any coffee or tea?" She asked, as Lexa grinned and stepped closer to the display cabinet. Clarke's breathe was ripped from her lungs when the woman's windbreaker shifted and she got a look at glistening, toned abs. Lexa turned towards the cake and pie display case and crouched down to take a look at the Apple, cheddar, jalapeño pie, Clarke's eyes automatically locking onto her well shaped ass. She forced her eyes away just as the gorgeous woman stood, smirking at her.

"Y'okay?" Clarke bit into her lip and breathed deep, nodding unconvincingly

"Totally, completely fine. No drink?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any Gatorade back there would you? Forgot to grab my camelpak when I left for my run." Clarke nodded then ran back to the back room, grabbing a grape Gatorade from the fridge. When she came back, Lexa had peeled off her windbreaker and set it on the back of the high chair at the little three seater bar next to the display counter. Clarke's groan was uncontrollable.

The brunette's arms were strong, and her collarbone defined, sweat dripping into her sports bra. More of her delectable abs were on display. Clarke shook her head as she handed the Gatorade to a once again smirking Lexa, watching that eyebrow rise above her left eye.

"Do you need me to put it back on? Your ovens make this place a little hot."

"D - Definitely hot." Came out of her mouth without her control, and she slapped a hand to her face, groaning.

"So I think I'll have the almond lavender cake." The brunette said with a grin, taking a seat in her chair. Clarke frowned in overwhelming embarrassment, placing the slice of still warm cake onto a plate with a fork.

"I'm sorry for acting like this. It's not like I've never seen a beautiful woman before. I never used to be this awkward before... I'm sorry. I get it if you're not... You know. Interested, or whatever." She finally got out, frowning as she took all her trays to the oven rack. When she got back, Lexa hadn't touched her cake, and was frowning adorably in thought.

"What do you mean? When you said before?" She asked, finally pushing her fork through the soft cake and eating the first bite. She smiled at the taste of it, though barely. Even that bring a small curve of the lips to Clarke's mouth. No people things that made them smile was what made her happy. Or almost.

"Something happened to me. Around a year or so ago. It kind of very much sent my life up in flames and I haven't been the same since. Being touched or snuck up on suddenly can send me into a severe panic attack, and my interactions with people are more stilted, awkward. Men make me uncomfortable to a dangerous degree. Lincoln and Octavia's brother, Bellamy are the only two who can touch even my friends have to get permission before they touch me. I'm a mess. Doing this... Working here? It's the only thing that's kept me sane." Lexa's eyes were wide for a moment and Clarke stood from the stool on her side of the counter with a frown. Why had she thought explaining so much at one time was a good idea? Lexa would never be interested now. If she ever was.

"Clarke..."

"I'm sorry. That... That was an overload of information and I just dumped it on you. I... Sorry, Lexa. I need, I'm gonna go to the back. Um. Just need a minute." She couldn't run fast enough. When she finally reached the back she collapsed on her couch, tears leaking from her eyes unbidden. How did this woman effect her so heavily? This was their second meeting and she had Clarke dismantled completely. She could barely breath.

Shit. She... She couldn't breath! She pressed her own hand against her chest, worry filling her chest. The last thing she needed was to have another fucking panic attack. Especially not here. Not with Lexa...

"Clarke? Clarke hey, It's Lexa. I'm going to touch you, okay?" She nodded frantically, watching as the brunette came to sit in front of her and take her hand, pressing it on her left breast, above her heartbeat. She breathed in deep through her nose, then out her mouth, nodding at Clarke to follow. She tried, but her chest felt as if it wouldn't expand, she was panicking.

"Come on, we can do this. In one two three. Out one two three four five. One more time, Clarke." The blonde nodded and tried to follow, counting with the other woman and breathing on the counts. Within five minutes, she was breathing normally and Lexa was smiling softly at her. She knew she was still crying, that her eyes would be red rimmed. She felt horrible. She'd need to call Lincoln and Octavia in. She hated to ruin their off day, when they usually defiled ever surface in their shared house. Clarke usually came home to the place smelling like febreeze.

"Are you gonna be okay? Do you need me to get something for you?"

"I'm so sorry. That was, you're probably super freaked out at this point. This would be like the worst first date ever if it was one." There was an encouraging smile from the brunette and she leaned comfortably against the couch, her hand still holding the baker's.

"Isn't it?"

"Is... I mean you would actually? Even after all of... Everything?" Lexa nodded, smiling and tangling their fingers.

"I would, yes. We're all messes, Clarke. Every single one of us. Me included. Definitely me included." Clarke grinned, squeezing the other woman's hand with a smile when there was a ding from the door and then suddenly Octavia's voice.

"Clarke? Hey, you back here?" She asked as she walked through the door, a worried frown on her lips. She looked confused about what was happening, her eyes locking on their tangled fingers before her eyebrows raised above her eyes.

"I'm okay? What are you doing here? Let alone awake at six on a Sunday?"

"Bae, it's seven thirty. And Bell, Lincoln's, and me called you about Raven coming into town and you didn't answer. You always answer, text, or send us the a okay tone back so we were worried."

"I... There was an attack-"

"What? Are you okay? What happened? Did she touch you without permission? Bitch, I'll fuck you up!" Octavia yelled, jumping to conclusions as was usual. Clarke loved her for the protection she and the others offered. The protection she usually needed.

"Of course I didn't. We talked about some things and Clarke got upset at herself for the admitted information dump. She's fine. I took care of her." Octavia frowned but nodded just as Bellamy walked into the room with Raven on her Back, cookies in both their mouths. Lincoln was behind them with cups of coffee for both him and Octavia.

"You guys flipped the closed sign round, right?" Clarke asked, unable to fight a smile at the sudden presence of her entire family.

"Course we did. Now dish, who's the hottie?" Raven demanded, flopping down on the third couch while Linc and O took theirs.

"Guys this is Lexa. Lexa, this is my family. Lincoln and Octavia there. Then Bellamy, O's brother, and Raven. We're on a date. That you're interrupting, by the way." Clarke clarified, smiling at the nonchalant waves exchanged.

"Okay but like who has dates before noon tho?" Bellamy asked, wiping the crumbs from his cookie off his shirt.

"A baker and an early morning runner? It's nice to meet all of you."

"So this is why you didn't answer your phone?" Bellamy asked, not exactly happy to hear it if that was the truth. They had the phone system for a reason.

"Oh. No. She had a panic attack. Her phone is in the front but I didn't have time to grab it while I was calming her down." Lexa explained, earning curious, even disbelieving looks from the group.

"She calmed down for you? What'd you do, magical hottie named Lexa?" Raven asked, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, um. The three five count worked. And she explained about being touched so I explained beforehand so not to make it worse."

"You really are magic."

"Leave her alone, guys. And thank you, Lexa. So what are the plans for today?" She asked. Raven could only rarely come home to DC, and having her here required celebration. She looked back at the brunette behind her and motioned laying back into her arms, smiling as she nodded and opened them for her. She laid back, suddenly feeling about as comfortable as she ever had. She sighed in satisfaction, ignoring the shocked looks of her best friends.

"Okay no, Clarke. We need to talk about this. We're confused right now. You bring comfortable enough to cuddle with someone is a typical behaviour for you. You haven't been okay with more than a hug." Lincoln explained, watching as Lexa seemed to worry about Clarke being okay in their position. The blonde looked up and shook her head, tightening the strong arms around her. He frowned. Was this her coping method? Throwing it all in with this completely new woman?

Because what she'd been doing since everything happened was surviving, certainly not coping. The businesswoman was clearly interested in her, even after apparently hearing about her issues with anyone touching her.

"Okay no. I need to. So fucking confused." Raven announced, leaving the room with Bellamy following. Octavia followed, so Lincoln did the same.

"So we all know how fucking weird this is, right? Like... How long has she known this woman? Do we even know who she is? Bell? Background check?" Raven asked, looking genuinely afraid for Clarke who was essentially her sister.

"Not yet. This is my first time meeting her. I'm worried about Clarke, of course. But Lexa seems like good people. Clarke told her about the touch thing, and had a panic attack, and she's still interested. That says she cares about her, right?"

"Or that she sees her as easy prey." She mumbled quietly. Though not quietly enough. Lexa and Clarke frowned as they walked into the main area of the shop where the others were gathered, and Clarke looked rather immensely hurt by the suggestion.

"That isn't what I'm doing here. Clarke and I have had a connection since we met, and I care about her, okay? I want to get to know her, and the four of you, better. I would never try to hurt her. Clarke makes me feel special again. Like I can finally have something in my life outside of work. I'm just glad she feels the same, okay?" Lexa explained, her hand still linked with the blonde's.

"Can you just stop? I just want to try to be happy. She makes me smile. My real smile... Do you remember what that looked like? Because I can barely remember what it felt like, guys. Please. I just want...I want this chance with Lexa. I need you to support me like you always do." She was getting emotional like she always did, she'd be crying soon if this didn't end.

"Listen, I understand that unrelenting need to protect, but I'm not-"

"No you don't. You can't. You weren't there for any of it. Or the aftermath."

"Except I have been. Through the emptiness, the dead eyes, the jumpyness, the addiction, the backlash, the 'I hate you'. I've been through it. I've fought tooth and nail to help someone I loved. To save them. So don't tell me I don't know. I do. And I would never, ever put Clarke in a position to have to feel all that pain over and over again until it's all she knows." She said with determined eyes, voice going weak and eyes hitting the floor by the end. Clarke frowned, moving to step in front of her. She lifted her face up gently by the chin, tracing worried eyes over green as they slowly became bright and vibrant again, though no where near as much as before

"Hey. Are you okay, Lexa? Are you with me?" She asked worriedly, watching as the brunette nodded, chuckling mirthlessly.

"I always asked her that and she always lied. Can we, um...can we rain check this date? I need to... I should go visit her grave. It's been too long." Tears fell from her eyes silently, and Clarke wished there was something inside her self she could give the beautiful brunette to make her feel okay again. She pressed a chaste kiss against full, tear flavored lips, then nodded, letting her hands fall to her side.

"Yeah. Of course. You know where I'll be. Come by whenever you want." Lexa nodded before she slipped her windbreaker on and left, shoulders low and entire countenance far less jovial than when she first entered the shop. Clarke locked the door behind her and turned to her family, hands on her hips. Lincoln and Bellamy looked rather sheepish and apologetic, Octavia joining the club a few seconds later. Raven shrugged.

"What? Don't look at me like that!"

"I care about her. And first the four of you made her and me uncomfortable with your questions, and then you hurt her. I'm not okay with that. Or you, and your super protective 24 hour big brother routines. If she never comes back I will never forgive any of you. I swear." She turned around and flipped the sign to open, turning on the 'try the pie' sign in the window. She went behind the counter, starting to tidy up.

"Look... We're sorry. Alright? But you have to understand that we love you, Clarke. Protecting you and making you not only feel safe but be safe is our first priority." Lincoln explained as he pulled on his apron.

"I do feel safe with her. I want to date her, okay. And you can either respect that or you can leave me to my own decisions like the adult I am." She explained.

"Aka fuck off?" Bellamy asked, grinning.

"Yes."

"Fine. But you know who I work with. If she hurts you no one will ever know she existed. And I'll cement boot her ass into the Mariana trench." Raven grumbled, arms crossed. Clarke smiled at her usual protective pose, hugging her sister the way she hadn't in early a year.

"Love you. All of you. Thanks for... Keeping this mess I've turned into together." Raven's smile lit up her face like the fireworks she'd always been so fond of, nodding.

"You too, dork." Octavia told her, pulling on her own apron. It was tradition. They pissed her off, they worked in the shop. Regardless of how it ended, she felt good about spending time with Lexa. She felt...healed, in some small way. Like a tiny fragment of her heart was glued to another fragment. That if things went the way she wanted them to, maybe it'd be somewhere near whole again soon.

/°\

It had been three weeks since Lexa had left the Griff's bake shop in tears, determined to go see Costia. She'd called Anya, who so wasn't a fan of mornings, and reminded her of that, of course. But as soon as she heard about Costia, about going back to see her, she was in.

So they brought flowers, talked to each other and Costia, cried endless tears, it had seemed. When they left, Anya felt lighter. Guilt, shame, and pain falling off her shoulders in small amounts.

But Lexa, Lexa had become a wreck. A mess it'd taken until just a few days ago for Anya to put back together.

That was three weeks ago. Today, she was sitting laid on Anya's couch considered getting late breakfast or Saturday brunch.

"What are you doing awake?"

"I don't know. Hungry? Want to do brunch?" She asked, not even looking at her best friend, who was drinking water with her mess.

"I want those creme brulee cakes. So get up, get showered, and go see your girl." Lexa sat up, looking stricken about the idea of running back to Griff's with her tail between her legs.

"Anya, I can't. I told you that! I was all... So pushy and rude to her friends, and then I opened my stupid mouth and said more than I meant to about what happened with Cos. And I don't know, Clarke's amazing, sweet, and funny. But she's a hurting and I don't even think she's been coping with what happened to her, okay? And then she told me about being touched, only to suddenly be super comfortable with me hugging her, and holding her? I don't want to be some... I'm not anyone's coping mechanism." She explained, frustrated and suddenly far more tired than she'd been five minutes ago. She wanted to see Clarke and even her friends. She did. But if she was going to, she needed to know she wasn't some... Some disposable tool Clarke could use to try and finally feel more herself again.

Anya sighed then walked over to the couch. She set her braced leg on the Ottoman, then pulled the smaller, younger woman into her arms.

"Look, Lex...from everything you've told me, she genuinely cares about you. And from day one you made her actually smile and joke, and I don't think that's her normal attitude with strangers. And she did the same for you, which sure as hell isn't your MO these days. So you had a connection already. You already made her feel more at ease, right? And she did the same for you." Lexa nodded silently. Anya had a point, one she was starting to see the structure of. And it maybe had her feeling less worried about her feeling for Clarke being reciprocated in full.

"So then you come into the shop again fresh off a jog, and she's super excited to see you. Then you get her all flustered showing off your body, right? But she essentially says she would get it if you weren't into her, along with pointing out how her mannerisms have changed. Are you getting any sense of ever using anyone from this girl so far in this story, little warrior? Because I'm not. She tells you about her issues with physicality, has her panic attack, and instead of being freaked out or thinking she wasn't worth it, you help her breath, make her feel comfortable, and so on." So Lexa could see how this all came together now. And she had to love Anya for always being there for her. For always giving her another lense to see things through.

"That really helps, yeah. I guess she just knows she can trust me? I mean I never thought anyone would, ever again, after everything that happened, you know. And I get that. I fucked up. I failed both of you." Anya frowned and turned Lexa around to look into her tear filled green eyes, sighing.

"Lexa, I don't blame you. Not anymore. Like... I know I said it, but that was years ago, after it all happened. You did everything you could. More than you should have. I do not blame you. Cos would not blame you. Okay? I love you, kid. We're family, of course I trust you, Lexa. Now get the fuck up, shower, and get dressed. I was serious about that brulee cake. Those things are fucking sinful. I want two." Anya orders, chuckling as Lexa gets up and lazily stomps her way to the bathroom.

/°\

"Oh. It's you. What do you want?" Octavia asked from behind the counter, eyes murderous and getting more so as the last customers leave. Lexa frowns and looks behind the shop to check if Clarke is around. She isn't sure when the blonde's day off is, however.

"I want two chocolate brulee cakes and a six peanut butter curry cayenne cookies. Also can I get Clarke's number?" The laugh that falls from Octavia's mouth at the last request is loud, boisterous, and tapers off quickly.

"NO." She boxes up all the treats, dropping the box into a bag unceremoniously while Lexa swipes her card.

"Look, I know it's been too long since I left, but I had to get my own shit under control before I came back here, okay. Going to see Cos-"

"I don't care about your bullshit sob story. You hurt her. Do you even care about that? Do you know how much trust it took for her to even let you in the way she did? Because she did let you in. She hasn't been as close physically to any of us as she was to you that day. She still hasn't. So she's just stuck in her shell all over again because you have a problem with girls with baggage as if you don't have your own. So fuck off. I refuse to let her ever be hurt again. By anyone, but especially by you. You're lucky Rae isn't here. She'd bury your ass. Literally." Lexa took a step back, shocked, unsteady, and honestly wounded.

She didn't mean to hurt Clarke. She'd just needed time. Hadn't she said that? Hadn't the things she'd said hinted to the severity of the situation? How much thinking of Costia again had left her wounded and needy all over again? She just needed to explain. Needed to talk to ClarkeThis all called for some groveling, perhaps. That was something she could do.

"I like this one. Octavia, right? Lex gimme my cake." Both brunettes turned to see Anya there, holding out her hand expectedly. Lexa passed the bag over and watched as she hobbled gracefully over to the little bar counter. She seat the bag down, the put her leg on the stool's cross bar, shifting her hips up onto the chair with a triumphant grin.

"Ahn, careful. You know that thing is heavy, it'll throw your balance off. Those chairs are too high." Anya waved her off as she finally got her leg up with a happy laugh, finally digging in the bag to pull out her cake. Octavia brought her a plate and fork, eyes tracing over the brace on her useless right leg.

"Wait so your sob story was real? I thought she was dead?" Anya's eyed locked on the young brunettes darker set, eyes narrowing.

"She _is_. And the only reason I'm not is because of her." She pointed a thin finger in Lexa's direction.

"Oh, well shit. Sorry about the whole bullshit thing. I know how-" Lexa held up a hand, breathing deep. She couldn't talk about this all again so soon. She needed space from all the pain.

"No, look. Can we not talk about that right now? I'm not ready to explain that to anyone but Clarke if she wants to hear it." Octavia nodded as the door swooshed open behind them, the tone absent.

"If I want to hear what?" Clarke asked as she walked in. From looking at her, Lexa could see she hadn't been sleeping well. And also that she'd just got out of a shower. Her hair was wet and wavy and she was all kinds of beautiful.

"About the reason I haven't been here in so long. I'm...I'm so sorry, Clarke. I was dealing with... things."

"Not as well as I thought, apparently." Anya said quietly from where she was already digging into her second cake.

"I'm _fine_." She said, fists tightening, frustration tinting her voice. Anya just shook her head. She wasn't fine.

"So, who is she?" Raven asked from where she'd just walked in the door.

"I'm her sister. Anya Pine. Well would you look at that. We're matching." She precariously held out her dead weight right leg for Raven to see, so the engineer walked closer, inspecting it.

"You need better gear. I could maybe hook you up. See this puppy? Carbon nano and such. Strong as fuck, light as fuck. Made it myself."

"Wait, where'd you even get enough carbon nanotubes to make the frame out of it? That's nearly impossible!" Lexa exclaimed, crouching down to get a better look at the high tech brace. Anya rolled her eyes. Out comes the hidden nerd. Lexa pulled glasses from her coat and set them on her nose to look closer.

"It's a nanopoymer. Nothing exciting really. You should see the stuff we're doing with nanotube transformers and batteries." Lexa's eyes went wide and she stood back up, looking into Raven's amused eyes.

"We've had that tech." Clarke rolled her eyes from behind the counter as a customer came in, serving them their pie and tea to go before they were gone again.

"Not this you don't. Nano ion batteries. Accelerated particle devices." Lexa turned from where she'd been going to talk to Clarke, brows raised.

"Who do you work for?" She asked rather suddenly, seriously. Clarke was handing out bags of popcorn at this point. This was like a weird nasa or techno spy thriller.

"Bitch who do you work for?"

"I'm the Ceo, chief of board, and majority share holder of WP Enterprises. Answer the question, Raven Reyes. If that's who you actually are."

"It is. I already checked." Anya clarified, grinning at Clarke in thanks for the popcorn. The group was spread out in the store, sign off and flipped. They closed the shop way too often.

"Wait. Really? You're the Woods and Pine from WP? Oh, well shit, we're good. I work for the Brooklyn project."

"Oh. Well...Oh. You really should all keep us more updated. This is why I lose these arguments, I don't even know we were at that benchmark. So you're _the_ Raven Reyes. Project lead. It's nice to meet you in person." Lexa extended her hand to shake, but a hail of popcorn rained down on both brunettes.

"You two ruined the movie. You suck!" Octavia exclaimed with a pout, Lincoln nodding from behind her.

"Geez, sorry! Hey, Clarke, would you like to go to a late lunch with me? I can apologize, and we can talk. Plus I owe you a date, don't I?" Clarke smiled, nodding.

"Great. Ahn, I'll see you later. Don't get into too much trouble with these fellow miscreants."

"That's such a good word for us, though..." Lincoln said, grinning as he waved the two women off.

/°\

So what... I mean do you feel comfortable telling me why I haven't seen you in three weeks?" Clarke asked, eyes focuses on Lexa's and clear hurt in her voice. Her eyes were guarded, Lexa noticed. She hadn't at first, with all the commotion. What with her finding out Clarke's sister Raven was her Brooklyn project lead and everything. Speaking of, it might be a sound idea to politely ask the other's to sign an nda. Not that she expected Raven would tell them any of the important details.

About the lives they were saving. The lives they would save

What mattered was Clarke was in front of her, across the chessboard they'd found their way to at the park. There'd been a pair of old men at the table before, but after each of them had beaten the winners, the table was theirs.

Lexa had watched Clarke with laser focus while she played. Watching as she set clever, complicated traps that more often than not led to the old man across from her being forced to sacrifice his own pieces to her in order to move forward. Only there was just another trap to fall into. Another knight sacrificed. Her mind was astounding, her instincts sharp...Clarke was amazing.

Due to her mother, thank god, she and Clarke were evenly matched, and the board in front of them was sat abandoned at a stale mate. Knights, a bishop, and rooks were captured, but the pawns were left largely undisturbed.

"I really did go to visit her grave. I went back to DC. It brought up all these memories. Horrible memories. Things I wish I could forget. It took me a week and a half just to make it to the cemetery. It's just what you asked me, you know? If I was with you?" Clarke nodded with a concerned frown, all of her attention on Lexa and their conversation.

"It just brought it all back, I guess. I felt all torn up all over again about everything. How it happened, how I lost her to the drugs and nearly lost Anya too. It made me realize that I hadn't ever really properly dealt with everything. With addiction taking her from me, with me failing her. Failing Anya. After I went to her grave, I went into this state of shock. I shut down. I was barely myself. I couldn't eat or sleep, or stop crying. I guess I'm saying the loss all felt fresh again. Anya had to take me away from DC, so she took the both of us on vacation to her mountain home and helped me come back to myself. She helped me come to terms with everything, and when I was mostly okay again we came back. That was just the day before yesterday. I checked in at work and everything, caught up...so I had the time to come by. I missed you, Clarke. I'm sorry I was gone so long. That I didn't call or something."

Clarke nodded as she finished telling her story, of how things'd gone the last few weeks, eyes thoughtful as she fidgeted with her hands, then with the only knight Lexa hadn't been able to steal from her.

"I missed you too. Really I did. I haven't really stopped thinking about you since you left, Lexa. I was afraid you had just... walked out of my life without having a chance to walk into it." She admitted with her soft, penetrating gaze focused on Lexa's own, blue eyes soft and sky colored.

"I want to be a part of your life. I understand that you're still hurting, and working on healing your heart. That things between us will have to be slow, but I'm okay with that. Slow may honestly be all I'm ready for." The gentle grin that started to form on Clarke's lips had Lexa mirroring it with her own, extending her hand palm up before resting it on the table.

She hadn't yet tried to touch Clarke. That required a trust she wasn't sure she was still afforded, and waiting for Clarke to say it was okay was the plan for the foreseeable future. Clarke's grin widened and she lay her hand in Lexa's, elegant, strong fingers stroking her palm. She hummed quietly from the feel of it, then squeezed gently when Clarke interlocked their fingers.

"I think that sounds perfect. I'm just glad you came back. But we should definitely fix the lack of having each other's phone numbers situation." Lexa's smile stretched her plush lips to their limit, and she giggled just the smallest bit, the sound coming out airy, like a gasp.

"We definitely will. But I think right now we she set the board up again. I've never had an opponent who really made me feel challenged before. You, Clarke Griffin, are something special."


End file.
